Is Blue Fluorite Too Good To Be True?

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Is Blue Fluorite Too Good To Be True?

Alla Babkina10 minutes

Published: 26.02.2025

Is Blue Fluorite Too Good To Be True?

Let's Talk About Ice Blue Fluorite

Blue fluorite can be controversial and comes with many warning signs. Experienced dealers and collectors were very alert when we wanted to chat about the recent 2019/2020 discovery of blue fluorite in Sicily. There were a few blue Sicilian fluorite specimens for sale in the Mineral City. Knowing that blue fluorite is rare, it was hard not to wonder why they were not snapped up before the show officially started, and why no one was talking about it. It seemed too good to be true, something felt not right. But blue cubes (no offense to other habits) are just too gorgeous to pass on so we wanted to know more.

Fakes, Fading, and Irradiation

We've been warned that many specimens on the market are outright fakes. There is an entire industry irradiating fluorite to make it look bright blue when naturally it is nothing like it.

Many specimens that start gorgeous blue, fade in color over time and become a disappointment. So for example, the lovely zoned specimens from La Barre Mine fluorite in France will lose their blue color over time. The good news is many specialised local dealers or respected global dealers will be honest about it and tell you if it's stabilised or not (will it lose more color or not).

Natural Blue Fluorite Localities - No Cheating

After digging deep into our database we found many localities across in Europe which seem to have been blessed with natural source of radiation and other conditions that produced stunning blue specimens without cheating, each with their own caveats.

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France - Blue FluoriteAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France produces some of the most historically significant blue fluorites in Europe and specimens from its mines feature heavily in museums across Europe and globally. The specimens from this region often exhibit a deeper, more saturated blue than their counterparts elsewhere. The blue color is caused by the crystals being exposed to naturally occurring radiation sources nearby over millions of years. If displayed properly away from UV sources, the darker blue specimens are generally stable and don't fade for decades. Except La Barre mine specimens which are famous for their fading issues. Serious collectors of this locality will even store them in complete darkness and only bring them out occasionally. Others shop around specifically for more recent finds to experience the color close to original but few truly "fresh" specimens are on the market. Perhaps sellers are stockpiling the most recent finds waiting for the prices to go up.More from Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Beihilfe Mine, Germany - Blue FluoriteBeihilfe Mine, Germany is a classic location and was originally developed as a silver mine and look at it now - one of the most famous blue fluorite localities in Europe! These specimens are known for their exceptional depth of blue which you will normally only find in artificially irradiated fluorite. The crystals typically range from 0.8-4.2 cm and are prized for their exceptional transparency and sharp edges although deeper ink-blue specimens are also out there. Since commercial extraction ceased, blue Beihilfe specimens have become increasingly difficult to acquire and lucky owners hold on tight to them, occasionally showcasing them in publications. Do you have one? Publish it on EarthWonders and we would love to feature it!More from Beihilfe Mine

La Viesca Mine, Spain - Blue FluoriteLa Viesca Mine in Asturias, Spain has produced many different shapes of fluorite mostly of purple hues. Then in 2009 Galeria 49 pocket yielded large clear light-blue cubes in larger clusters with some main crystals over 6cm in size! The fluorite cubes are covered in tiny quartz crystals and what makes these different from other blues is their exceptional clarity best appreciated in person or in 3D. More from La Viesca mine

Le Burg Mine, France - Blue FluoriteLe Burg (Le Burc) mine in the south of France produced baby blue fluorite specimens similar to ones in the La Viesca mine in Spain, but more resinous in their luster and with more of a grey hue. If you are lucky to find a larger specimen from this classic locality, it will often sit on a quartz matrix AND be covered in shiny quartz! The combination of sharp edges on larger cubes and associated quartz look a little bit like ice covered in snow. Le Burg was the last fluorite mine operating in France and closed in 2006 and it certainly gave the best parting gifts.More from Le Burg mine

Weisseck area, Austria - Rainbow Fluorite (with some serious blue in it!)An honorary locality on the best of blue fluorite in Europe - Weißeck (Weisseck) area in Austria famous for its RAINBOW fluorite. These specimens combine rare colour with distinct bands of blue, purple, green and sometimes yellow and magenta in a single specimen, AND very distinct shape makes them instantly recognisable. These grow as interlocked stepped cubes and appear very dark, almost black until you backlight them and magic happens and piercing blue is revealed among other colors. The largest specimen from the area is a self-collected 50kg floater called the Dark Bull because it does look dark until lit. Weisseck rainbow fluorites are pretty rare, there aren't even many photos of them. If you own one - upload and share it in your collection!More from Weisseck area

The Verdict - Nothing Worth Having Is Easy

There is certainly a lot of out of this world beautiful natural blue fluorite in private collections and museums. It is not among the most common, available or affordable collectible specimens. It is a good idea to not start your collection with blue fluorite - the entry bar is high.

Finding one in the first place will be hard. Given the high prices you will need to know whether it needs special treatment or is likely to fade and lose a lot of its value. Unless you want to get a degree in geology or already have one, you will need to find someone who really understands the factors that led to the rare color, and can advise you. Finally, in the likely event the blue fluorite requires special storage and display conditions you will have to invest into that straight away.

That said, something makes natural blue fluorite stand out and appear irresistible. And while we didn't buy any fluorite from Sicily this time, we couldn't help but buy European blue.